Cost Estimation Tool for Early Head Start-Child Care ...

[Pages:11]Cost Estimation Tool for Early Head Start-Child Care

Partnership Services

LAYERING EARLY HEAD START SERVICES AND FUNDS WITH CHILD CAR E

Introduction

There's a lot that goes into building a partnership. It's kind of like a

marriage. It's built on a strong foundation and a budding relationship. Determining the layers of service you need from your partner is akin to a courtship. It's best to have the challenging discussion about money before you get hitched.

This tool helps Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) grantees or those interested in becoming grantees to have the funding discussion with their child care partners. It serves as a model to others interested in the layering approach as a funding option, and it is also a helpful resource for child care partners to understand the scope of the Early Head Start services and to prepare for the costs of those services.

Determining all the costs for comprehensive services is complicated, but this tool will walk grantees and their partners through the layering process together step-by-step. Some questions may require further investigation. You can always skip a question and pick up where you left off when you have your answers.

This tool can be used with:

? Potential center-based or family child care partners to determine the feasibility of creating EHS-CCP partnerships

? Existing family child care or center-based partners to validate that costs are equitably covered and to revisit costs as your partnerships evolve

Using this tool together, you will set a strong foundation for a long-lasting partnership that is built on trust and transparency. This tool can be used with partners regardless if they are sub-recipients or contractors. It is up to the grantee to determine whether the partner is a sub-recipient, an entity that receives funds from the grantee to independently carry out the delivery of comprehensive services required by the EHS-CCP award, or a contractor, an entity whom the grantee purchases services from to implement the EHSCCP award.

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As the grantee, you will help your partner to share what is unique about the services they currently offer, as well as the costs for additional services and possible other revenue sources needed to support your partnership as outlined in your partnership agreements. For helpful tips on how to best use this tool, see Tips for Using the Layering Tool. Once you have completed this tool, you should discuss with your partner additional funding sources and how payments will be made. See Guidance on Funding and Payments for Layering Costs for information on this topic. The tool is divided into two sections, one for child care center partners and one for family child care home partners. Appendix A contains a template for the cost estimation report to be used with center-based programs, and Appendix B provides a template for the cost estimation report to be used with family child care programs.

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Partner Profile ? Center-based Partners

Core Child Care

Services

In this section, you will gather information about your partner's core child care services. We advise you to use the tool for each partner as their services are often unique and what you add for services to meet Early Head Start requirements may be different between providers.

Partner's Contact Information

List the contact information for your partner here: _______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Special Services

Discuss with your partners the special services they currently offer in their child care programs that may meet some of the Early Head Start requirements. Check all that apply:

Mental health classroom observations Nutrition services, including Child and Adult Care Food Program Parent-teacher conferences Teacher home visits Developmental screenings and assessments used for classroom

planning

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 Staff professional development Other (please list): ____________________________

Child Care Rates

Child Care Subsidy Rates

What are the child care subsidy rates per week or month for your area?

If your partner receives a quality rating differential, make sure you add that, if not already included.

Infants $________

Toddlers $________

*Preschoolers $________

*If your state defines children under age 36 months as preschoolers

If you don't know your rates, you can ask your local child care subsidy or resource and referral agency. Rates are usually set by age of child and by type of service (e.g., family, group home, or center-based child care). Find a list of the state child care administrators who can direct you where to find subsidy information for your area:

Private Pay Subsidy Rates

Ask your partner if she charges a higher rate for private pay families?

Circle:

Yes No

If yes, what is that rate?

Infants $________

Toddlers $________

*Preschoolers $________

*If your state defines children under age 36 months as preschoolers

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Child Care Revenue Sources

Ask your partner what other revenue sources cover the costs of child care services. Check all that apply:

Private parent fees Child care subsidies Parent co-payments Private foundations Private tuition scholarships State pre-K funds Other sources (please list): ____________________________

Discuss other possible revenues sources that you could seek together to support your partnership program.

Hours of Operation

Ask your partner how many hours a day the program currently operates. Number of hours per day: ________

How many weeks do they operate per year? Number of weeks per year: ________

Classroom Staffing

Early Head Start in a center-based setting is for children ages birth through 36 months. Complete the table based on your partner's current enrollment in those classrooms planned for your partnership.

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Classroom Classroom Classroom Classroom Classroom

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Number of children in group

Ratio of teachers to children, birth to age 36 months

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Layer One ? Center-based Partners

Core Child

Discuss with your partner the additional time

Care Services

needed to meet Early Head Start (EHS)

requirements (at least 10 hours a day/48 weeks a

year) and additional costs for child care for unsubsidized children. Costs for

these services cannot be supplanted or replaced with EHS-CCP funds if child

care funds are available to pay for them.

Hours of Operation ? Additional Hours Needed

Are additional hours needed to meet EHS requirements?

Circle:

Yes No

If yes, how many more are needed? ________

Are additional weeks needed to meet EHS requirements?

Circle:

Yes No

If yes, how many more are needed? ________

Below is the formula you can use to calculate additional hours needed to meet EHS requirements.

Current total hours per year = [current hours per day] x [current number of weeks] x 5 days.

Additional hours needed per year = [additional hours per day] x [current number of weeks] x 5 days + [additional weeks needed] x 50 hours.

Estimate costs for extending hours/weeks of service.

Cost for extending hours/weeks of service: $________

To develop a simple basic estimate of the costs for adding service hours or weeks to the classrooms with EHS-CCP enrolled children, follow the step below:

1. Estimate the direct costs for staffing one classroom for the hours currently operated.

2. Multiply those direct costs by the percentage increase in overall hours resulting from the additional hours.

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